257 Interim CEO for Business Transformation

About Our Client:

Our client is a European industrial group operating in the high-end equipment sector, serving international customers in the aerospace and medical industries. Owned by a global private equity fund with a strong appetite for growth, the group employs over 400 people and has a presence across Germany and Central Europe. Its Hungarian subsidiary is a fully autonomous manufacturing entity with end-to-end value-chain responsibility. The organisation is entering a decisive transformation phase to professionalise operations, digitalise processes, and prepare for a new ERP platform, all aimed at building a scalable, internationally competitive business.

Project Description:

The Interim CEO for Business Transformation will lead a comprehensive business transformation of the Hungarian entity, ensuring the company is fit for future growth and private equity value creation. Reporting directly to the Shareholder’s representative on site, the executive will be mandated to deliver a cross-functional transformation programme spanning Pre-Sales, Sales, R&D, SOP Planning, Manufacturing, Logistics, and After-Sales Support.

Key priorities include:

• Interim CEO mandate with full accountability to the Shareholders’ representative based at the Hungarian site
• Complete business transformation of the operating model, embedding structured and scalable processes across the full value chain
• Driving digitalisation and preparing the ERP business blueprint to align technology with operational workflows
• Establishing codified processes, interfaces, and communication frameworks across Sales, R&D, Manufacturing, and Service functions
• Leading cross-functional integration to connect product development, industrial operations, and client support into one coherent structure
• Building long-term transformation foundations that support sustainable growth, private equity value creation, and international competitiveness

Key Requirements:

• Interim executive leadership in business transformation
• ERP blueprint preparation and digitalisation of operations
• Cross-functional integration across Sales, R&D, Manufacturing, and Logistics
• Process design, codification, and communication flow leadership
• Performance improvement in private equity-backed industrial companies
  Strong industrial and manufacturing acumen

Interim Manager Required Skills:

This mandate requires a senior interim executive with proven ability to lead full-scale transformations in complex industrial environments.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Senior career background as Interim CEO, COO, or Transformation Director in non-automotive industrial manufacturing
• Experience in high-end equipment or precision manufacturing sectors such as aerospace, medical, or related industries
• Demonstrated expertise in redesigning and implementing order-to-cash, R&D-to-production, and after-sales processes
• Track record in digitalisation, ERP implementation readiness, and operational turnaround
• Pragmatic, hands-on, and decisive leadership style suited to a fully autonomous industrial entity
• Ability to create measurable value in private equity-owned businesses, balancing execution with strategic transformation

Language skills:

• English required;
• Hungarian is highly beneficial;
• German has a strong advantage

This is a mission-critical interim executive role for a leader who can deliver end-to-end transformation, operational excellence, and digital readiness in a fast-paced, growth-driven environment. The assignment combines elements of interim CEO leadership, ERP transformation, and private equity value creation, making it a highly visible and outcome-oriented mandate in the European industrial sector.

Key Requirements:

• Performance improvement
• ERP implementation leadership
• Order-to-cash process transformation
• Cross-functional stakeholder alignment
• Manufacturing-linked sales operations

Type of Assignment:

• Interim

Scope of Interim Assignment:

• Full Scope Business Transformation

Functional Area of the Interim Manager:

• General Management

Location:

• Hungary

Duration:

• 6-12 months

Start Date:

• asap, latest October 2025

Why work with us?

CE Interim delivers proven executive interim leaders within 72 hours across borders, cultures, and industries. We specialize in high-impact interim management for private equity firms, family offices, and global corporations facing moments of transition: digital transformation, market entry, operational turnaround, post-merger integration, or crisis.

What sets us apart is not just the speed or depth of our network, it’s how we lead. Every engagement is personally guided by a CE Interim managing partner: former CEOs, CFOs, or COOs who’ve been on your side of the table, steering organizations through high-stakes decisions.

With a global talent pool and operational reach spanning Europe, the USA, and the Middle East, we don’t fill roles, we build trust, lead transitions, and deliver outcomes.

As part of the Valtus Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of Executive Interim Management companies, we ensure seamless international execution through 25+ offices and 80+ senior partners in over 50 countries.

Executive Leadership Breaking Borders. Outcomes Without Compromise.